Adjustable Comb

ABSTRACT

An adjustable comb including at least two comb portions is disclosed herein. The two comb portions each include a plurality of teeth, and one of the comb portions can be connected to the other in at least two positions in order to vary the alignment of the teeth of the comb portions. Thus, characteristics of the adjustable comb, such as the fineness of the teeth, can be adjusted by varying the position of one of the comb portions relative to the other of the comb portions.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a non-provisional application claiming priority on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/239,208 filed Sep. 2, 2009, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

A typical known comb includes a single, static body defining a handle and a plurality of teeth projecting from the handle. The teeth may be rigid and formed integrally with the handle. Since the comb and its teeth are typically rigid, each comb thus has a predetermined fineness, or spacing between its teeth. A person may own several combs in order to have access to combs having different finenesses.

SUMMARY

An adjustable comb as described herein can be adjusted to vary its characteristics, such as the fineness of its teeth and a layering effect provided by its teeth. As a result, one adjustable comb can be a substitute for two or more known combs. An example of an adjustable comb includes a first comb portion having a first body and a plurality of first teeth projecting from the first body in a common direction, as well as a second comb portion having a second body and a plurality of second teeth projecting from the second body in the common direction. The second comb is selectively connectable to the first comb in a first position and in a second position spaced from the first position, and the first and second teeth are aligned when the comb is in the first position and are not aligned when the second comb is in the second position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first example of an adjustable comb including three comb portions;

FIG. 2 is a simplified cross-section of the adjustable comb of FIG. 1 taken along line B-B;

FIG. 3 is a simplified cross-section of the adjustable comb of FIG. 1 taken along line A-A with the one of the comb portions in a different position from shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of another example of an adjustable comb including just two comb portions;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of another example of an adjustable comb;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of yet another example of an adjustable comb;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the adjustable comb of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-section view along long A-A shown in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An example of an adjustable comb 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The comb 10 includes three comb portions 12, 14 and 16, although in other examples only two comb portions (e.g., portions 12 and 14) or more than three portions can be included. Comb portions 12, 14 and 16 can be connected to one another in different positions as is explained below in greater detail to form the comb 10.

Comb portion 12 includes a body 12 a and a plurality of teeth 12 b, which can be integrally formed with the body 12 a by, as an example, forming the comb portion from molded plastic. The body 12 a can define a handle 12 c that is shaped and sized to be held by the hand of a typical user. The body 12 a can additionally include a flared portion 12 d, and the plurality of teeth 12 b can project from the flared portion 12 d. The teeth 12 b can be parallel with one another and can extend in a common direction, and the spacing between the teeth 12 b can be constant. A face 12 e of the body 12 a can include a pair of protuberances 12 f that project generally orthogonally from the face 12 e. Each protuberance 12 f can include small diameter portion 12 g adjacent the face 12 e and a bulbous distal end 12 h.

Comb portion 16 can be identical to comb portion 12. For example, comb portion 16 can include a body 16 a and a plurality of teeth integrally formed with and extending from the body 16 a. The body 16 a can define a handle 16 c shaped and sized to be held by the hand of a typical user, and the handle 16 c can have the same shape and size as handle 16 c. Comb portion 16 can also include a flared portion 16 d, and the teeth 16 b can extend in a common direction from flared portion 16 d. The comb portion 16 can include a face 16 e and protuberances 16 f extending from the face 16 e and including small diameter portions 16 g and bulbous distal ends 16 h. However, it is also contemplated that the comb portions 12 and 16 may have a different structure. For example, the teeth 16 b of comb portion 16 can be spaced differently than the teeth 12 a of comb portion 12, or teeth 16 b can have a different length than teeth 12 a.

Comb portion 14 can include a body 14 a and a plurality of teeth 14 b. The body 14 a can include a handle 14 c, which can have the same shape as handles 12 c and 16 c. The body 14 a can include a flared portion 14 d, and the teeth 14 b can extend in a common direction from the flared portion 14 d. The spacing between the teeth 14 b can be different from or the same as the spacing between teeth 12 b and/or 16 b. Alternatively, the comb portion 14 need not include teeth 14 b. The body 14 a can define a pair of opposing facing surfaces 14 e and 14 f. Each face 14 e and 14 f can define a track 14 g.

Each track 14 g can receive the protuberances 12 f or 16 f of one of the comb portions 12 and 16 and allow for positioning that comb portion 12 or 16 at multiple positions relative to the comb portion 14. The track 14 g can be recessed into its face 14 e or 14 f by at least a dept sufficient to receive the protuberances 12 f and 16 f. The track 14 g can have a plurality of branches 14 h. The track 14 g can include two or more expanded portions 14 i that have a radius large enough to accept the bulbous distal ends 12 h and 16 of the protuberances 12 f and 16 f A width of the track 14 g adjacent the face 14 e or 14 f can be wider than the small diameter portions 12 g and 16 g of each protuberance 12 f and 16 f, but narrower than the bulbous distal ends 12 h and 16 h of the protuberances 12 f and 16 f. The width of the track 14 g can be wider below the faces 14 e and 14 f such that when the bulbous ends 12 h and 16 h are inserted into the expanded portions 14 i of the track 14 g, the comb portions 12 and 16 can be moved such that the protuberances 12 f and 16 f move can along the track 14 g and such that the comb portions 12 and 16 are held close to the comb portion 14 as a result of the bulbous ends 12 h and 16 h being wider than the track 14 g. The bulbous ends 12 h and 16 h can thus prevent movement of the comb portions 12 and 16 in directions orthogonal to the faces 14 e and 14 f once the protuberances 12 f and 16 f are moved in the track 14 g from the expended portions 14 i. The track 14 g can additionally include detents 14 j near ends of each branch 14 h. The detents 14 j can reduce the width of the track 14 g to an amount slightly less than the diameter of the small diameter portions 12 g and 16 g of the protuberances 12 f and 16 f. Thus, the detents 14 j can provide a “snap-fit” to maintain the protuberances 12 f and 16 f near the ends of the branches 14 h once the protuberances 12 f and 16 f are urged past the detents 14 j.

In operation, a user can connect each of the comb portions 12 and 16 to the comb portion 14 by inserting the protuberances 12 f and 16 f into the expanded portions 14 i of the track 14 g and then moving the comb portions 12 and 16 such that the protuberances 12 f and 16 f are snap-fit past the detents 14 j and held in position at the ends of branches 14 h. The user can select which branches 14 h to engage the protuberances 12 f and 16 f with. Depending on which branches 14 h the user selects, the teeth 12 b, 14 b and 16 b can be aligned with one another—either in the X or Y direction shown in FIG. 1—or out of alignment. Additionally, the alignment of the teeth 12 b, 14 b and 16 b can change the properties of the comb 10. For example, the comb 10 can be finer if the teeth 12 b, 14 b and 16 b are misaligned in the X direction than if the teeth 12 b, 14 b and 16 b are aligned in the X direction. As another example, the comb 10 can provide different “layers” of teeth if the comb portions 12, 14 and 16 are not all aligned in the Y direction. The user thus adjusts the comb portions 12 and 16 relative to the comb portion 14 using engagement between the protuberances 12 f and 16 f and track 14 g in order to select the desired characteristics of the comb 10.

FIG. 2 shows an example in which comb portion 12 is positioned out of alignment along the X direction with comb portions 14 and 16 and comb portion 16 is positioned out of alignment along the Y direction with comb portions 12 and 14. FIG. 3 shows an example in which both comb portions 12 and 16 are positions out of alignment in the Y direction with the comb portion 14. In other examples, the protuberances and tracks can have different configurations, or different types of connections between the comb portions can be used.

FIG. 4 shows another example including only two comb portions 12′ and 14′ that can be connected to one another in different positions. This example can utilize the same protuberance and track configuration as the example shown in FIG. 1, although different connectors can alternatively be used.

FIG. 5 shows another example of an adjustable comb 100. Here, a receiving body 110 defines pair of slots 112 and 114, each including a track 116. Comb portions 118 and 120 each have teeth 122 and a body 124 that includes protuberances 126 for engagement with one of the tracks 116. While the protuberances 126 and tracks 116 are not shown in great detail, they can have the same configuration of the protuberances 12 f and 16 f and the tracks 14 g, for example. Thus, the receiving body 110 can receive the comb portions 118 and 120, which can be selectively positioned relative to the receiving body in order to vary the X and/or Y direction alignment of the teeth 122 of the two comb portions 118 and 120. Further, a third comb portion 128 can also include teeth 122, a body 124 and protuberances 126 and can be engaged with one of the tracks 116 accessible via the outside of the body 110 to engage the third comb portion 128 with the receiving body 110 in multiple positions.

As yet another example of an adjustable comb 200 shown in FIG. 6, the comb 200 can include comb portions 202, 204 and 206. Two or more of the comb portions 202, 204 and 206 can include teeth 208, and at least one of the comb portions 202, 204 and 206 can include a handle 210. The comb portion 204 can include a plurality of protuberances 212, and the comb portions 202 and 206 can each include elongated slots 216. The slots 216 can slidably receive the protuberances 212 in at least two positions and can include detents or other structures to receive the protuberances 212 in a snap-fit fashion in each of the positions. Thus, the comb portions 202 and 206 can be slidably connected to the comb portion 204, and the positions of the comb portions 202 and 206 can be varied relative to the comb portion 204. As a result, the fineness of the teeth 208 in the aggregate can be varied be aligning or misaligning the teeth 208 of the comb portions 202 and 206. Also, the comb portions 202 and 208 can include apertures 218 sized to receive one of the protuberances 212′ for a rotatable connection between the comb portions 202, 204 and 206 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Using the rotatable connection, a user can alter the layering effect of the teeth 208 of the portions 202 and 206.

The above-described examples have been described in order to allow easy understanding of the adjustable comb and do not limit the adjustable comb. On the contrary, the attached claim is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structure as is permitted under the law. 

What is claimed:
 1. An adjustable comb comprising: a first comb portion including a first body and a plurality of first teeth projecting from the first body in a common direction; and a second comb portion including a second body and a plurality of second teeth projecting from the second body in the common direction, wherein the second comb is selectively connectable to the first comb in a first position and in a second position spaced from the first position, and wherein the plurality of first teeth and the plurality of second teeth are aligned when the comb is in the first position and are not aligned when the second comb is in the second position.
 2. The adjustable comb of claim 1, comprising: a third comb portion including a third body and a plurality of third teeth; wherein the third comb is selectively connectable to one of the first comb and the second comb; and wherein the plurality of third teeth are aligned with at least one of the plurality of first teeth or the plurality of second teeth when the comb is in the first position, and are not aligned when the second comb is in the second position.
 3. The adjustable comb of claim 1, wherein at least some of plurality of first teeth are spaced apart by a first distance and at least some of the plurality of second teeth are spaced part by a second distance; wherein the first distance is different than the second distance.
 4. The adjustable comb of claim 1, wherein the first body of the first comb and the second body of the second comb are in flush engagement when the second comb is selectively connected to the first comb in at least one of the first position or the second position.
 5. The adjustable comb of claim 1, wherein the first body of the first comb has a track and the second body of the second comb has a protuberance sized and configured to extend into the track when the second comb is connected to the first comb the first position and the second position.
 6. The adjustable comb of claim 5, wherein the track has at least one branch, the branch having a detent to retain the proturbeence in a location within the track corresponding to at least one of the first position or second position. 